Define YOUR 2019

1998

Do Not get into stranger’s cars

Do Not meet people from the internet

2018

Literally summon strangers from the internet to get into their car

Yes, the way we commute is evolving and the advent of self-driving cars may change that even more radically. In the years that follow, few sectors will evolve more than transportation… except health care. The uncertainty of national healthcare reform, ACO’s, MACRA, MIPS and a host of other challenges places our chiropractic future in question.

But opportunity is the partner of challenge. We are on the brink of change and our future will primarily be governed by our actions today. While we cannot single-handedly control the future of healthcare, we can undoubtedly define our individual goals toward that cause.

Each of us has a choice; To be a victim of our challenges, or work to maximize the associated opportunities. If you’ve chosen to go along for whatever ride the world throws at you next year, then you can stop reading now. However, if you prefer to help choose your own path, you’ll want to review the following five essential steps to define your goals for 2019.

Some of you are thinking that a message about goals should be saved for the New Year- a time when resolutions abound. But goals and resolutions are entirely different concepts. One is characteristically an impulsive, emotional recoil from some bad habit, while the other is a well-developed game plan to reach meaningful fulfillment. This is the difference between running from failure and chasing something desirable- obviously, the latter is far more enjoyable, and successful.

Winning game plans need to be developed before the game, not shortly after the first whistle. Waiting until the New Year to set your goals will only delay your success. Set aside a planning day right now to define your most important goals and associated action steps for 2019. Maybe you’re too busy to take off for a full day, so at least take a half. But don’t forget that staying meaningfully busy is far different than running set plays. In sports and life, this action differentiates a tired loser from a champion.

Follow these five tips to set your 2019 playbook:

1. Set Big Goals: When setting goals, don’t ask how. Don’t compare yourself to others. Instead, set goals that will make you excited, and then go for it! Excitement is synonymous with happiness. Unusually large goals infuse excitement & inspire unusually large actions. Mediocre goals require mediocre effort that often leads to failure. Dream big and chase your dreams with an “it’s impossible to fail” attitude…and don’t let “normal” people derail you.

Our professional future is outcomes driven. A goal at the top of our list should be to provide the finest care available. There’s a big difference between treating someone and delivering best practice care. This means keeping up with and employing best practices for every patient, every visit.

2. Write SMART Goals: Successful goals share these 5 characteristics:

S = Specific (i.e., I will improve my clinical outcomes for _____ by __% in 2019)

A = Attainable (could a successful person in your situation achieve this goal?)

R = Realistic (will you commit the time and resources to achieve this goal?)

T = Timely (what date will you achieve this goal?)

Possibly most importantly, your goals need to be written and reviewed regularly (i.e. daily). Success begins with taking time to write the playbook. Research confirms that those who set written goals accomplish significantly more than those who do not.

3. Be Willing to Work: The quality of our life is directly proportionate to our commitment to excellence. Achievement requires sacrifice and self-control. To get what you’ve never had, you must do what you’ve never done. The book 212 degrees is an excellent metaphor concerning effort. In essence, the story points out that at 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 it boils and produces steam that can power a locomotive. One extra degree can make all the difference. 212 should be the target for everything we do in life.

4. Act with Focus: There will always be more good ideas than time to execute those ideas. We need to learn to say “no” to good ideas. Leave time to focus on what matters most. Don’t turn everything measurable in your whirlwind of life into a goal. Instead, make a very short priorities list and “blow the doors off” those 2 or 3 priorities. The Pareto Principle, aka 80:20 rule, tells us that 80% of our success comes from 20% of our actions. Each day, define those 1 or 2 most important actions that will move you closer to your goals and do those first! You’ll never be completely caught up so ignore the less critical tasks and focus on your “20’s”.

A wise person once said; “when you’re busy climbing the ladder of success, be sure it’s leaning on the right building”. Far too many of us spend our days busily “putting out fires” instead of “running the set play”. Fires leave us tired and sometimes burnt- set plays lead to championships.

5. Persevere: Once you establish goals and determine the price you’re willing to pay, you can ignore the minor hurts, pressure and setbacks. Commit to a state of mind for refusing to give in or settle for less than excellence. Success like anything worthwhile has a “price”. Recognize that pressure is unavoidable, so allow yourself to be energized by it! The ability to hold onto your goals in the face of pressure, to persevere just a little longer is what differentiates winners from losers.

One final thought

ChiroUp has worked with hundreds of the professions most successful chiropractors and the nearly all share three common behaviors:

First, they work harder than their peers. They’re willing to come in early, stay late and do whatever it takes to succeed.

But they recognize the difference between merely working hard and building a company. And they know that life requires balance, so they capitalize on their efforts by working smarter. They access the best advice and use the most efficient systems to automate their processes.

And finally, the most successful chiropractors have a vision that’s bigger than themselves. They recognize they’re part of a larger team. They put their patient’s needs first and openly share information with their peers.

The best news is that ChiroUp helps automate your goals to improve your clinical outcomes, enhance patient compliance, generate automatic Google reviews, and boost MD referrals… and it happens every time you prescribe a condition report. We are grateful to be your partner and look forward to helping you make 2019 your best year ever!